# US 2018/0022006 A1 · Head and system for continuously manufacturing composite hollow structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0022006 A1 - Document ID: US20180022006A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/722,019 - Filed: 2017-10-02 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-15 - Assignees: Cc3D LLC - Applicants: Cc3D LLC - Inventors: Kenneth Lyle Tyler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022006A1 ## CPC - B29C 64/165: using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber - B29C 48/131: {Curved articles} - B29C 48/304: {specially adapted for bringing together components, e.g. melts within the die} - B29C 64/106: using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material - B29C 64/118: using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] - B29C 64/209: Heads; Nozzles - B29C 64/264: Arrangements for irradiation - B29C 70/50: for producing articles of indefinite length, e.g. prepregs, sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or cross moulding compounds [XMC] - B29C 70/523: {and impregnating the reinforcement in the die} - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - B05B 3/001: {incorporating means for heating or cooling, e.g. the material to be sprayed} - B05B 3/1007: {characterised by the rotating member (B05B3/105 takes precedence)} - B05B 5/032: {for spraying particulate materials} - B05B 5/04: characterised by having rotary outlet or deflecting elements {, i.e. spraying being also effected by centrifugal forces} - B05B 7/1481: {Spray pistols or apparatus for discharging particulate material} - B05B 13/0636: {by means of rotatable spray heads or nozzles} - B29B 15/122: {with a matrix in liquid form, e.g. as melt, solution or latex} - B29C 48/001: {Combinations of extrusion moulding with other shaping operations} - B29C 48/0012: {combined with shaping by internal pressure generated in the material, e.g. foaming} - B29C 48/0022: {combined with cutting} - B29C 48/09: Articles with cross-sections having partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. pipes or channels - B29C 48/152: the inner surfaces thereof - B29C 48/21: the layers being joined at their surfaces - B29C 48/2665: {allowing small relative movement, e.g. adjustments for aligning the apparatus parts or for compensating for thermal expansion} - B29C 48/2886: {of fillers or of fibrous materials, e.g. short-fibre reinforcements} - B29C 48/32: with annular openings, e.g. for forming tubular articles - B29C 48/325: {being} adjustable {, i.e. having adjustable exit sections} - B29C 48/33: with parts rotatable relative to each other - B29C 70/388: {Tape placement heads, e.g. component parts, details or accessories} - B29C 70/52: Pultrusion, i.e. forming and compressing by continuously pulling through a die - B29C 70/521: {and impregnating the reinforcement before the die} - B29C 70/526: {Pultrusion dies, e.g. dies with moving or rotating parts (B29C70/523 takes precedence)} - B29C 2035/0827: {using UV radiation} - B29D 23/00: Producing tubular articles (B29D24/00 takes precedence) - B29K 2105/08: of continuous length, e.g. cords, rovings, mats, fabrics, strands or yarns - B29L 2023/00: Tubular articles (B29L2024/00 takes precedence {; catheters B29L2031/7542}) - B29L 2023/22: {Tubes or pipes, i.e. rigid (bent tubes not for use as pipe couplings B29L2023/004)} - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) - B29B: PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES ## Abstract A head is disclosed for use with a manufacturing system. The head may have a housing configured to discharge a tubular structure reinforced with at least one continuous fiber and having a three-dimensional trajectory, and a cure enhancer operatively connected to the housing and configured to cure a liquid matrix in the tubular structure during discharge. The head may also have a nozzle configured to discharge a fill material into the tubular structure, and a wand extending from the housing to the nozzle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of continuously manufacturing a composite structure, comprising: continuously coating fibers with a matrix; diverting the fibers radially outward away from a non-fiber axis to form a tubular structure; creating a three-dimensional trajectory within the tubular structure; curing the tubular structure from inside of the tubular structure; and discharging a fill material into the tubular structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein curing the tubular structure includes curing the tubular structure at a location upstream of where the fill material is discharged into the tubular structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further including curing the fill material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including externally shielding the tubular structure from an environment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further including internally shielding the tubular structure from the environment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein discharging the fill material into the tubular structure includes directing the fill material from a center of the tubular structure radially outward onto an inner wall of the tubular structure to form an annular layer inside the tubular structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein discharging the fill material into the tubular structure includes directing the fill material from a center of the tubular structure radially outward onto an inner wall of the tubular structure to form a plurality of axially oriented ridges inside the tubular structure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein discharging the fill material into the tubular structure further includes spiraling the plurality of axially oriented ridges relative to the tubular structure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein discharging the fill material into the tubular structure includes spraying a coating of the fill material against an inner wall of the tubular structure. ### Claim 10 A method of continuously manufacturing a composite structure, comprising: discharging a tubular structure; creating a three-dimensional trajectory within an axis of the tubular structure; exposing the tubular structure to cure energy; and discharging a fill material into the tubular structure during discharging of the tubular structure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein discharging the tubular structure includes: discharging matrix-wetted continuous fibers; and forming the matrix-wetted continuous fibers into the tubular structure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein exposing the tubular structure to cure energy includes exposing the matrix-wetted continuous fibers to the cure energy from a location inside of the tubular structure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein exposing the tubular structure to cure energy further includes exposing the matrix-wetted continuous fibers prior to discharging the fill material into the tubular structure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further including curing the fill material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further including externally shielding the tubular structure from an environment. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further including internally shielding the tubular structure from the environment. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein discharging the fill material into the tubular structure includes directing the fill material from a center of the tubular structure radially outward onto an inner wall of the tubular structure to form an annular layer inside the tubular structure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein discharging the fill material into the tubular structure includes directing the fill material from a center of the tubular structure radially outward onto an inner wall of the tubular structure to form a plurality of axially oriented ridges inside the tubular structure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein discharging the fill material into the tubular structure further includes spiraling the plurality of axially oriented ridges relative to the tubular structure. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein discharging the fill material into the tubular structure includes spraying a coating of the fill material against an inner wall of the tubular structure.